Collectaholics: Forget Antiques Roadshow, Collectaholics was on the hunt for a stuffed giraffe

Collectaholics presenters Mel and Mark with Stuart and his collection of train signs (Picture: BBC)

We all like collecting stuff; coins, stamps or train signs like Stuart on Collectaholics last week. I myself have a sizable collection of shot glasses sourced from every country I’ve ever visited.

There’s something comforting about amassing a collection of things, stock piling like a squirrel preparing for winter. And finally my stash of pre-levy proper plastic Tesco bags has found a home in BBC2s Collectaholics, delving into the nation’s mountains of rubbish or fondly revered memorabilia.

Collectaholics aims to display the ‘hidden’ gems in Britain’s homes, mainly hidden beneath more of the same, fronted by Mel Giedroyc of and Antiques Roadshow’s Mark Hill.

Mel we know and love from The Great British Bake Off and being the other bit of Mel and Sue duo with Sue Perkins. Mark on the other hand is a strange creature from a time forgot, the undertaker of undervalued home collections, Saville Row’s David Dickinson if such a thing could exist.

Together they swoop into cluttered homes, and caravans, trying to understand why people would spend so much time and money amassing mountains of crap.

7,000 British beer cans lovingly curated by Nick (Picture: BBC)

Not all of it is though, some of it is actually very valuable, and immediately makes me worry for the owner’s safety after the programme airs. It’s basically two things we love programmes on telly being about, smooshed together; nosing into other people’s homes and money.

In episode two we meet Nigel – Nigel is mad about taxidermy. He has filled his massive home with a collection of stuffed animals only matched by a natural history museum. His next step is to get a giraffe, although his wife isn’t so keen.

All Nigel needs is a stuffed giraffe to make his collection complete (Picture: BBC)

Partners David and Francis are argumentative about the validity of their separate collections; David collects ‘high-brow’ Bloomsbury Group furniture, paintings and other works, while Francis collects cruet sets. Yet Mel and Mark felt it was time for Francis to finally display his wares to another collection of London’s top ceramicists and designers where they were met with enthusiasm.

And finally Bob, a twice divorced gentleman who downsized his life to a caravan to make room for his massive stock of Mason’s Ironstone china wants to sell off some of his stash which is so big it’s being stored beneath his caravan. Unfortunately for Bob the price of Ironstone has plummeted in recent years shattering his £40,000 investment.

Luckily for Nigel’s long suffering wife Janis, he has to sell off some of his menagerie to raise about £2,000 – he’ll need another five before he can finally get himself a long necked friend.

But for David and Francis it was a different story. Together their separate collections could make up to £190,000 at auction, making collecting look less like a hobby and more a career choice.

While Antiques Roadshow is populated by people trying to get some cash together for a Saga holiday, Collectaholics really puts the cash into collecting.

It is about real passion, be it for salt and pepper sets or priceless pieces of art, a passion even Fiona Bruce can’t match.

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